The Lady of the West
by see03
Summary: A story about the history of the West as told by Satori, mother to Sesshoumaru and mate to the Inu no Taisho. She finds herself transforming from an eager girl to a bitter, cautious woman due to the hazards life throws at her. Through her concern for Sesshoumaru's well-being, she finds a way to put her past to rest. InuMama x InuPapa / InuPapa x Izayoi / Sess x Kag
1. Yellow Camellia :: Longing

Chapter One – Yellow Camellia (longing)

* * *

My wooing at the hands of the Inu no Taishō was as romantic as any female could possibly desire.

He came in my 200th year to my Father's court, resplendent in heavy, gleaming armour, long hair in a top knot and his uniquely twin tails laid respectfully over both shoulders. To do so was a sign of deference – our tails, which contain our excess power while in a mortal form, are also the key to reverting to our bestial forms. By laying them over a shoulder, you demonstrate a lack of aggression.

He came unannounced into my Father's throne room, and told him that as the new Inu no Taishō, he sought a mate to share his life with, and only the best would do. I, as the only daughter to the Imperial House of the Moon, was his choice.

On the one hand I was deeply offended – how dare this upstart general come to my father's court and all but demand my hand? And yet, I could not help the way my heart fluttered and my breath caught as he turned his eyes on me. No courtier had dared to look upon me with such vulgar familiarity, and yet the lust I could see in his golden orbs made my body respond in ways I hadn't before. I knew without a doubt that he was not going to leave without me.

Our courtship began the next day. He was granted a place in our court – if only because he was the top general for our House – until my Father decided if he would be allowed to pursue me.

Against my Father's orders to not approach me, the Taishō found me in the gardens and presented me with a yellow camellia.

Longing.

Once my Father found out that he had called on me, he kept the Taishō under strict watch, but the demon still found ways to present me with courtship tokens, using the unique skills of a flea demon named Myoga. Thus began the first stage of our courtship – attention, and the Taishō had certainly caught mine. I quickly became the recipient of pearls, gems, clothing, and many other beautiful objects.

At first I coquettishly ignored his gifts, refusing to wear them. For the longer I held out on his advances, the more his eyes burned when he looked at me from across the room at the many balls we held, and the more elaborate the presents became.

Finally, my Father granted the Taishō permission to court me, and the game truly began. Gifts now came directly from him – large furs, dragon scale pelts, and other demonstrations of his power and ability to provide were now presented to me directly from the Inu no Taishō – Takeshi, he begged me to call him. With my Father's permission and my own newfound desires, I decided to take our courtship to the next level – recognition.

I began to wear his tokens – first, I wore the pearl earrings he had gifted me the day after he found me in the gardens. The way his eyes widened and fiercely glowed when he recognized them caused a pleasant tingle to race down my spine.

We were not allowed to be alone together without a chaperon, so Takeshi began writing me letters. They were often serious in nature, seeking to gain knowledge of myself and gift me with the same. On occasion, however, I could see the effort he put into attempting to sound romantic on paper, and I could not help my soft sighs as I would sit down each evening and compose my letters of reply.

I learned that Takeshi had had to work hard to reach his station of Inu no Taishō. Unlike most of the men in the Imperial Army, he was not from a High Pack. His parents had been Low Pack courtesans of Father's court. When they died in one of our many skirmishes with the Dragon Clans of the Imperial House of the Sun – the reason why the Palace of the Moon became a moving castle – Takeshi had no one to turn to. To avenge his pack, he decided to join our Imperial Army.

He began with one of the many regiments as a foot soldier, and through years of dedication, perseverance, and struggle, managed to become a Brigadier. This gave him command of three battalions.

As a member of the Lower Packs, Takeshi was not allowed to advance passed that point by recommendation and appointments alone – if he wished to become a General, he would have to challenge an existing one. If he could defeat a General in combat, he would assume that position. If not, he could be killed for his mutiny.

In order to have the opportunity to more personally engage the dragon demon who killed his family, Takeshi decided he would have to not just become a General, but the Great Dog General of the Imperial House of the Moon – the Inu no Taishō.

He challenged the Taishō, and by some miracle, managed to defeat him. Disgraced, the former Taishō appointed Takeshi to his station, and fled our kingdom.

Very quickly I found I desired more. Writing each other letters was not enough, and so one evening, after he had escorted me to dinner and we had sat down, I subtly reached between us with my hand for his. For a man and woman who were not courting, this could be excused as a way to get the man's attention. But for Takeshi and I, who were by then well into the courtship rituals, it was a sign that I wanted to advance our relationship.

Takeshi's hand immediately closed around mine, his thumb drawing light patterns across my knuckles. My skin prickled delightfully at the touch, and I lowered my lashes over my eyes demurely as I gazed at him. While I had been courted by many demons before, I had never reached this stage in the game. I found myself feeling like a fish demon out of water, and happily let Takeshi take the lead.

That night, we shared our first kiss. Holding my hand, Takeshi took me from under the watchful eye of my Father out onto the terrace, and beneath the new moon pressed his lips to mine.

It was a rather chaste kiss – I had participated in such exchanges with my Father and Mother – but from Takeshi, it felt so much different. My heart raced and my breath caught, causing my lips to open. Our kiss immediately became more heated, and I desperately closed my eyes tight to ground myself, for I felt as is I was floating on a cloud.

From there everything progressed rapidly, until I found myself standing beside my Father, listening as Takeshi made his formal proposal to me. When my Father looked to me for my verdict, I agreed to mate Takeshi, and plans for the ceremony were soon put into motion.

In hindsight, I see that I should have taken more time, used the safety of my Father's court and the availability of trusted chaperones to learn more about who he was, and what we could be together. But at the time, I greatly desired him – maybe I even loved him. He had proven to all that he was powerful by his station, and to me, he shown that he had the ability to lavish upon me anything I desired. He seemed to be the ideal mate.

Surely, I thought, our future together would be a bright and happy one.

How naïve I was.


	2. White Carnation :: Engaged to be married

Chapter Two – White Carnation (engaged to be married)

* * *

Once our engagement was announced, Takeshi presented me with a white carnation, a symbol of our new status to each other. I tucked it into my hair, reverently touching the petals.

Each day until our scheduled mating ceremony, I was presented with another carnation, and each time I would tuck it into my hair. Every night I would take it out and place it with the others in my quarters to dry, and I soon had a beautiful bouquet of white carnations on my dresser.

The day of our mating ceremony quickly approached, and as tradition dictated I was refused access to my betrothed the day before we would be bound together for eternity. Takeshi was taken out by my father and older brothers to hunt, in celebration of our upcoming vows. Once we were bonded, Takeshi and I would lead a precession back into the Palace, where we would sit down and partake of the meats the males would bring in.

At the same time, I was secluded with my mother and aunts to prepare. The day of the ceremony I bathed for an hour in rose water to symbolize our love, while my long white hair was rinsed, combed, and styled in an elaborate fashion, half of my hair being twisted and braided in a crown around my head while the rest flowed down my back to my knees. At my request, my aunts wove the dried white carnations into my hair.

I was taken from the bath water and dried before the many layers of my wedding kimono were placed upon me. As a noble, I would wear a total of twelve layers, held together by an obi. All of the kimono I wore were white to symbolize my purity, except for the red uchikake that was placed lastly on my shoulders. The uchikake I wore for my ceremony was a family heirloom – my mother wore it before me, and her mother before, as far back as my family had ruled the Imperial House of the Moon.

Across the back of the uchikake was a great white inu walking among clouds. My mother told me it represented the inu who built the Palace of the Moon, the home from which his family would continue to rule, for his bride. The uchikake was heavily padded along the bottom hem so that it might drag better behind me as I walked. White fur encased the edges around the sleeve and bottom of the great coat, which warmed my fingers as I tucked them within the sleeves.

Once I was prepared my aunts retreated into the Great Hall where the ceremony would be preformed, while my mother sat me down to explain the duties of a mate to me. It would be my responsibility to make sure my mate was pleased in life, and my pleasure to do for him anything I could. I would raise any pups I had to be heirs worthy of the Imperial House. His victories were mine, as were his defeats.

With my solemn vow to uphold these duties I was allowed to proceed into the Great Hall, where I saw Takeshi similarly entering, followed closely by my father. I realized that Takeshi must have been asked to make a similar vow, and felt a happy flush suffuse my body. Our bond would not be one-sided, but a melding of the souls – my duties were his.

In front of my father's kingdom Takeshi and I repeated our vows, and as their howls of recognition and congratulations filled the air my mate took my hand, tucking it within his arm. He led the procession from the Great Hall to the newly built wing in the Palace of the Moon, constructed solely for our use. Until our own palace could be built, we would reside there, in my family home.

That night the Inu no Taishō and I completed the bonding ceremony with the coupling of our bodies. As the moon rose high in the star-speckled night sky he entered my body, physically and spiritually, sharing his youki with me. At the first touch of his demonic essence my own youki rose in response. We allowed our spirits to intertwine in an elaborate dance above our bodies long after we lay in exhausted splendour.

With our love-making we completed the last of the courtship rituals, and the next morning took our first steps as true mates. We were allowed the traditional week of rest, where both of our duties were suspended so that we might further acquaint ourselves with each other.

Once our week was over, Takeshi and I were summoned to the Great Hall to speak with my father and mother. As the only daughter of the Imperial House of the Moon, my position in our pack was second only to my parents and my eldest brother, Satoshi. As such, unless something traumatic was to happen, no pups of ours would ever inherit that mantle of the Imperial House. Thus, my father decided to bequeath us new titles.

Because of Takeshi's position as Great General of the Imperial Army, it would be difficult for him to return to the moving land that was the Palace of the Moon and to the family we wished to start. In acknowledgement of this, my father gifted us with a large section of the Imperial House of the Moon's holdings on earth, and we were dubbed the Lord and Lady of the West.

I discovered that while my mate and I had been securing our bond my father had begun construction of our palace, and felt overcome with emotions. Of all the things my father could have given us, this was the grandest. In one fell swoop my father had secured a status for my pups as rulers of the Western holdings, shown favour to my mate, a previous member of the Lower Packs, and granted me a place where I could make effective use of my upbringing as Lady of a grand household.

I bowed deeply to my honourable parents, and felt a quiet gratitude as my mate mirrored my actions at the same time. He too, knew how much this gift would mean to us. There was nothing we could do for my father that would ever begin to repay this debt.

As we rose my father asked only one thing of us. That our home, and any army my mate, as the Inu no Taishō, might accumulate would be used as the first defence against any threat to the Imperial House of the Moon. We pledged our lives and those of our descendants to its protection.

My mother smiled upon us gently as we made our way out, and I felt absolutely surrounded by their love and wishes for our happiness.


	3. Lotus :: Far from the one he loves

Chapter Three – Lotus (far from the one he loves)

* * *

It wasn't a month after we moved into the Palace of the West that Takeshi left on one of his many campaigns to defend the borders. Takeshi's dream of avenging his family was only slightly put on hold – his duty to defend our kingdom limited him to our borders, but many of the skirmishes he was involved in were with the dragons.

Through these encounters he learned that the dragon demon who killed his parents was in fact Ryukotsusei, Emperor of the Imperial House of the Sun.

I felt pain for my mate – Ryukotsusei was a legendary fighter, but he hadn't fought in his army for many hundreds of years. Unless Takeshi outright declared war on the Dragon Clans, he would not be able to reach Ryukotsusei and engage him in battle.

When this news reached our palace – it was one of the times between patrols that Takeshi would return home – my mate was broken. He knew it would be impossible to have his revenge now, and that night he released his pain between our love and within my body. My cries of pleasure echoed in our chambers, spurring Takeshi onward and encouraging him to let go of his anger. He desperately clutched my naked form to his, succumbing to the blissful respite of our union.

A few weeks later I realized I was pregnant. 

My mate was happy, but his joy was bittersweet. A child at this time would only put the final nail in his quest for vengeance, something I could see Takeshi wasn't ready or willing to give up on. Even after many centuries, the deaths of his parents could not be forgiven. Hoping he would see the joy a pup could bring, I told him that this was his chance to honour his mother and father by building a family of his own - one that would forever hold an important place in my Father's kingdom.

Knowing this was small consolation to my mate, who - against an inu's natural instincts to remain close to a breeding female - continued to go on patrol every month. I tried not to worry about him; tried not to worry about what he might do in his desperation to seek revenge, but could not prevent the helplessnessI felt every day he was away.

The Western Palace was bleak without my mate to fill it with his bright smiles and teasing - what had once been a warm home became an empty shell that I merely inhabited. The only comfort I received was the lotus blossoms that began arriving every day after he left. They told me that no matter what else was happening, he loved his family, and ached as much as I the longer we were apart.

As our pups grew within my womb I felt a constantly growing pain in my abdomen. The healers met with me many times, but could never find anything wrong or out of the ordinary. They insisted that my pups were merely very strong, and I was no doubt feeling their power. But as my pregnancy progressed the feeling of pain would not wane. When Takeshi heard of my struggle he returned immediately to lend me his strength.

True to their heritage, our pups were born in inu form after nine weeks of pregnancy. With their whelping we realized why I was feeling so much pain – the pups were being killed. Only one of our six pups was born alive, and the healer's told us that this pup had inherited my family's poison ability.

This news required immediate action. Like our pup, I too was born with a poison ability that resulted in the death of my litter mates. A messenger was immediately dispatched to my father's floating palace.

In the time between my mother and father's arrival and the birth of our son, Takeshi gave him the name Sesshoumaru – killing perfection. He would be the heir to the Western stronghold, and he had already proven he would be a great warrior... or so my mate believed.

Like all children born into the Imperial House, upon the arrival of my parents Sesshoumaru was tattooed with the sign of our heritage upon his brow. He whimpered like the pup he was as my father's poison traced the moon into his flesh. Once the skin healed over the marking, it would appear as a beautiful, thin prussian crescent moon.

My mother and father stayed with us in our home for the first year of my pup's life. My father wished to carefully monitor his growth, and be sure that his poison ability would not act on its own.

Sesshoumaru went through many tests in the first weeks of his life, most of them to see if his poison could be released against his will. I was given the task to do this, as Sesshoumaru would be more likely to control his poison against his mother. I held his paw in my hand – even at one week, it filled my palm completely! – and gently applied pressure to the under pads, trying to tease his poison to leak out of his claws. When nothing happened, I breathed a sigh of relief, and held my pup closer. Even though it was only the first of many tests, Sesshoumaru had proven he could control his poison.

The next tests my father conducted himself, asking me to watch carefully, so that one day I might perform the same tests for any grandpups I might have in the future.

Sesshoumaru grew quickly in his first year of life. When he was born, I was able to hold him in my arms when in my mortal form, but he quickly continued to grow until he was the size of my mortal body. Of course, I was very rarely in anything but my bestial form while Sesshoumaru was still feeding, so we were limited to the private quarters of Takeshi and I, which had been specially built to accommodate an inu's true form.

During Sesshoumaru's puphood my mate continued to go out to the borders, though less and less frequently. By the time Sesshoumaru was fifty years old and capable of holding a mortal form, Takeshi had all but stopped going on patrols, only leaving when he was called to investigate or settle extreme disputes.

After Sesshoumaru was born Takeshi and I had three more litters of pups, each containing five pups. Not all of our pups survived through their puphood, but by the time Sesshoumaru had attained his mortal form he had eleven younger siblings.

My pups and I were never happier than when Takeshi was home, and I could tell my mate felt the same. He was slowly losing interest in taking his revenge against Ryukotsusei, and I believe that was mostly due to Sesshoumaru. Of all our pups, he was the only one to inherit my family's poison ability, and Takeshi seemed very interested in cultivating and perfecting all of its potentials with our son.

I couldn't begrudge my mate and pup their time together, but I also couldn't help feeling that Takeshi was redirecting his desire for revenge into training our son to becoming a harbinger of death.


	4. Yellow Rose :: Dying love and apology

Chapter Four – Yellow Rose (dying love and apology)

* * *

When Sesshoumaru was just over seventy years old there was a large skirmish on the border between the Imperial Land of the Moon and that of the Sun. By now our second litter had attained their humanoid form, the third was training, and the fourth was just being weaned.

Takeshi was hesitant to leave the Western Palace – after having born four litters, he preferred to stay home and spend time with his mate and pups – but the severity of the incident demanded his presence, and so he kissed our pups and left to deal with the situation.

It wasn't until just under a year later that I learned what had happened at the border – when my mate told me of it.

In addition to having demon courtesans, the Ryuu and Inu Kingdoms also have human serfs – they farm much of the food served in the Imperial Palaces, and in return are given every amount of protection possible. The skirmish along the borders involved one of the Moon Kingdom's human princesses, and a low-ranking dragon from the Sun Kingdom who had tried to take more than the young woman was prepared to offer him.

The situation was dealt with easily enough – for the insult dealt to the princess, and consequently to the Imperial family, Takeshi challenged the dragon and killed him, as was his right as Inu no Taishō, defender of our kingdom. The outcome of the state of affairs, however, made my mate realize there was a way for him to draw Ryukotsusei out of his Palace, and stirred old feelings of hatred and revenge.

Discharging the soldiers who had gone with him to the borders, Takeshi began his hunt for a human princess from the Sun Kingdom. A young girl named Izayoi quickly caught his attention. He began courting her immediately. Takeshi knew, however, that to merely court Izayoi would only incite the wrath of the Ryuu no Taishō – the Dragon General. In order to garner the Emperor's attention he would have to push his insult further.

A month later Izayoi discovered she was pregnant.

As a human princess to the Imperial House of the Sun, Izayoi's family was obligated to inform Ryukotsusei that she was with child – especially because the father was the Dog General of the West. They waited many months to do this, hoping Izayoi would choose to give up the pup, but she refused. By the time Ryukotsusei heard the news, Izayoi was a week away from her delivery.

By this time Takeshi had come to regret his actions, and informed me of all he had done. He had broken our mating vows, betrayed the Imperial House of the Moon, and brought down the wrath of a powerful Emperor – all in the name of revenge. I told him to kill his hanyou spawn and make amends to the Sun Kingdom – it was the only way to prevent an all out war from breaking out over his mistake…but Takeshi refused.

I know he saw the sound reasoning in my command, but he swore that he alone would take the punishment for his actions – no member of the Imperial family would be involved. Maybe it was the stout conviction in his eyes, the love I yet held for him through the burning pain of betrayal…or maybe it was because I did not want my family to know the shame my mate had brought upon me, but I promised I wouldn't tell my Father of what had happened.

He confessed to me that he likely wouldn't come out alive from a battle with Ryukotsusei, and so had had two swords forged. They were called Tenseiga and Tessaiga – the Swords of Life and Destruction. Upon his death, he wished for Tenseiga to be given to Sesshoumaru, in the hopes that it would teach him as Takeshi had been unable to that power and revenge would only lead him down the path of the damned.

Tessaiga, the Sword of Destruction, would be given to his hanyou brat, to protect his unstable blood. I was informed that he was to be called Inuyasha.

After giving Sesshoumaru's sword to me for safe keeping – Inuyasha's was hidden inside my mate already – Takeshi left to await Ryukotsusei, sure that he had heard of Izayoi's pregnancy by now; confident that the dragon would seek him out. It was only after he had gone that I finally broke down, barricading myself into the family wing of the Palace and surrendering to my grief. Our pups remained close to me, uncertain and frightened in the face of my despair and their sire's absence.

Sesshoumaru, their eldest brother and pillar of loving strength in the face of Takeshi's absence was not there. He had gone with their father to bear witness to Takeshi's crime and the battle with the Dragon Emperor.

But Ryukotsusei did not go to Takeshi.

Instead he sought out the Western Palace, and without Takeshi or Sesshoumaru, our strongest warriors, he made his way through the grounds towards the family wing – and our pups. Alone I stood no chance against the great dragon, and was helpless to stop him from slaying our pups – _my _pups. He left me surrounded by the remains of my children with a warning – that the only person to blame for this was my mate.

I overheard Ryukotsusei command a messenger to seek out Takeshi and tell him the consequence of his actions – and also tell him that if he wished revenge for his slain pups, to return to Izayoi, who Ryukotsusei would be seeing next.

Mere hours later Sesshoumaru returned, his worried countenance dropping in the face of the torn bodies of his brothers and sisters. Shakily – I so often forgot how young he was at the time – he told me that Takeshi had gone to Izayoi, and I felt the final pieces of my heart shatter.

Spies later reported that Takeshi had battled Ryukotsusei just outside Izayoi's home, and after sustaining mortal wounds, he had managed to seal the Dragon Emperor with one of his fangs. Within the human palace, Izayoi had gone into labour and given birth to a healthy baby boy. As Takeshi had wished, he was named Inuyasha.

I knew the moment my mate died, because outside our bedroom window, outside the destruction of our home, a single rose bloomed in the gardens – yellow, for dying love and sincere apology.

Insulted, angry, and shattered I viciously ripped the bloom to shreds, melting the remains with my poison. My mate had betrayed me – he had broken our mating vows for revenge, and after the death of our pups and in my time of need had gone to his human whore – whether to protect her or avenge our pups, I cared not. His place was at my side, to console me in my grief and mourn with me.

I told myself I would never forgive him.


	5. Orange Lily :: Hatred and revenge

Chapter Five – Orange Lily (hatred and revenge)

* * *

For many days I remained in the gardens, kneeling beside the remains of the yellow rose. It had been my last gift from my mate, and I had destroyed it. Part of me was mournful, to have not treasured it for what it had been – an apology. Another part was vindictive and spiteful, glad that I had destroyed it as thoroughly as he had destroyed me.

I could not mourn for long, however, as news reached the Western fortress that the dragons were en route to attack the floating Imperial Palace of the Moon – home to my parents and siblings.

I found myself frozen. What should I do? They no doubt sought to avenge Ryukotsusei, having been sealed by Takeshi mere days before. Would there be enough defence at the palace? Should I travel there as well, and defend my childhood home?

In the end, Sesshoumaru made the decision for me. Still visibly shaken by the deaths of his brothers and sisters, and his father's betrayal, he was in no shape to come venture into a war zone, especially not against seasoned Sun Warriors. He would be killed, and this I would not allow. I could not leave him alone, for fear that the dragons would also be targeting us.

Praying my family would manage to get away before the dragons reached the palace, I told my staff to return to their family homes, and taking Sesshoumaru, fled our home in the West.

Without the Inu no Taishō to defend the Imperial Palace, the dragons swept across the floating castle, killing anyone remaining inside. It was laughably easy – having had such a strong Taishō, and a first defence available in the Western Palace, the Imperial Kingdom had grown lax in keeping strong warriors at the Palace to defend it. I learned later that my family had not left, refusing to be chased away with their tails between their legs by dragons. By all accounts my father, mother, brothers, aunts, uncles, and cousins fought admirably, but each died to a dragon's talons.

Hearing this from a loyal servant who had managed to escape, I knew the dragons would seek out Sesshoumaru and myself – if only to ensure that no members of the Imperial Dog family were left.

Sesshoumaru and I had fled into the surrounding forests of the Western Lands by then, knowing the only way to survive was to go into hiding, completely separating ourselves from any part of life we had previously known.

Within the first month of residing in the forest Sesshoumaru and I encountered some of the ugliest demons I had ever seen – toad demons. As lowering as it was to admit, Sesshoumaru and I had no knowledge of the plants we could eat. We were surviving off meat, but I missed the others foods I was used to, and some vegetables might recapture some of my feelings of home-cooked food. In return for our aid and protection, the toads promised to serve us to their best ability.

It would be no trouble to defend the clan of toads, so Sesshoumaru and I agreed. In return for feeding and housing us, the toads wished for us to rid the area of their natural enemies – a clan of snake demons. Even with Sesshoumaru's minimal training, the snakes were small fry for us, and easily taken out. I used the opportunity, however, to further Sesshoumaru's training, charging him to find the snakes without using his nose. It took a little longer to locate them, but Sesshoumaru greatly improved his visual tracking skills.

At Sesshoumaru's behest I continued his training, especially aiding him in furthering his poison skills. But our relationship was strained. As close as we had been when he was a pup, Sesshoumaru and I had both changed as a consequence to Takeshi's actions. I was much colder than before – the deaths of my pups had taken their toll and in many ways on Sesshoumaru as well. It wasn't natural for an inu to grow up alone. For Sesshoumaru to be so separated from his siblings so young…had I not been internalizing so much, I would have done something much sooner.

Soon this new coldness in Sesshoumaru became glaringly obvious, and I realized I had to do something about it.

Takeshi had instructed me to give Sesshoumaru the Tenseiga at the moment of his death, but blinded by my grief, I had not done so. The moment I noticed Sesshoumaru's new deep-seeded hatred, especially for humans - no doubt he was projecting his anger of Izayoi onto her whole species - I knew it was far passed time.

I approached him that very night, giving him the sword I had hidden from him and explaining that it was his inheritance from Takeshi. Tenseiga, the Sword of Life, was the last lesson his sire had wanted to teach him, I said. He had wanted Sesshoumaru to know the true strength of love and compassion, and realize that to seek revenge and power would only lead to his own destruction.

Looking into Sesshoumaru's eyes as I gave him the sword, I could tell this lesson came too late. Sesshoumaru had lost his respect for Takeshi, and was no longer able to accept anything he said – especially words that were so at odds with my mate's last actions on earth_. _Even I no longer felt much love and compassion to the world at large – why then, should he?

For the majority of his young life, Sesshoumaru had been taught by Takeshi the all importance of power. To protect the Western Lands and the Imperial House of the Moon, Takeshi had taken his role as Inu no Taishō seriously – a role he would have liked to see Sesshoumaru inherit someday by battling him. This meant that Sesshoumaru couldn't be satisfied with just being strong - as the heir to the Western Lands, Sesshoumaru had to be the best.

I could see now that these lessons should have also been supplemented with lessons of compassion and value for other life, because as he looked at Tenseiga, I could tell it would be difficult – if not nearly impossible – for him to master the sword.

I decided to keep secret that Inuyasha had also been left a sword, and that it was the Sword of Destruction, Tessaiga. Sesshoumaru already felt that he was being cheated with this heirloom; for him to learn that there was another sword, which was meant for power, would only incite his anger, and possibly devastate him more than Takeshi had already done.


	6. Yellow Poppy :: Success

Chapter Six – Yellow Poppy (success)

* * *

When Sesshoumaru was one hundred and twenty years old I felt confident that we could return to our lands. He was more than capable of defending himself now, and I had no doubt that the dragons had long given up their search for us. If there was one thing about demons, the sheer longevity of our lives allowed us to let go of past grudges – after all, when there are so many things to experience and remember, what importance does anger hold?

Sesshoumaru and I left the toads for our old palace in the Western Lands. I wasn't surprised to find it in ruins, destroyed by the dragons. No doubt in the immediate rush of anger at our absence, they had taken it out on our home.

Thinking about it brought back old feelings of pain, and new feelings of guilt so strong that I almost found myself held immobile by the emotion. In this very spot my children had been viciously torn from me, their bodies sundered before my disbelieving eyes - and I had been unable to stop it. What kind of mother was I, that I could not stop my children, or even my family, from being killed?

We did not stay long in the Western Palace – there were too many ghosts residing there.

As we left I wondered at the state of my childhood home, and felt a sudden jolt of worry. What if they had destroyed the floating Imperial Palace?

In their time of need I had forsaken my vow as the Western Lady and abandoned the Imperial Palace to its fate. No doubt I would have simply been killed with them, along with Sesshoumaru, ending our line, but…I had done nothing to stop it. I had not even sent any of the few soldier posted at the Western Palace, and whether it was the fault of my mate or not, I felt responsible for what had happened.

I made our next destination the Imperial Palace. It did not take us long to locate it, the floating palace still following its set route around the Moon Kingdom. I was pleasantly surprised to find it in only minor disrepair, mostly from not being regularly taken care of rather than from ransacking. The dragons must have felt so driven to find and kill Sesshoumaru and I that they had not taken the time to pillage the palace. When I went to my childhood room I even found all my old belongings intact. I immediately sought out my mother and father's room, and felt my eyes well to see all of their belongings had also been left alone.

I had thought that with my family's death I had lost them, but by some miracle all of the things they had held dear remained behind, each with memories within them for me to remember and cherish.

Overwhelmed, I would have fallen into another bout of depression if it wasn't for Sesshoumaru. He helped me direct my purpose, and I decided to remain in the Imperial Palace, spending my time restoring my family home to its former beauty and splendour.

Sesshoumaru, who had only stayed in the floating palace once, decided to remain with me. Upon his decision to remain Sesshoumaru also told me that he would begin formally upholding the duties of his titles. I felt a small jolt of surprise – it was strange, but though my mate was dead, I had never once thought about the fact that Sesshoumaru had inherited his father's titles. With Takeshi's death, even though Sesshoumaru had only been seventy-one years old, he had become the Lord of the Western Lands, and upon the death of my family, had also become the Emperor of the Imperial House of the Moon. I felt some hope that he felt the same connection I had at seeing the Palace, but when I looked into his eyes all I saw was a cold promise to uphold his obligations.

The magnificence of my home had not affected him in the way I hoped it would, but I was glad to have him there, and I was glad to feel as if someday, at least, my father's kingdom would be returned to its former splendour. With Sesshoumaru by my side, I was confident it would happen.

I invited previous courtesans from the remaining High and Low Packs to return to the Palace once it was restored, encouraging them to send some servants and masons to aid in my endeavour. Those that answered my call would later be greatly rewarded for their loyalty.

Sesshoumaru remained by my side for half a century before word reached us that Inuyasha had somehow survived childhood and been sealed by a priestess. Over the years I had seen my son begin to soften again, and I felt I almost had the old Sesshoumaru back, but this news caused him to completely cut himself off again, and I felt bitter disappointment.

He vowed to investigate the situation, and deal with it as he saw fit, leaving myself to handle the delicate politics of the hanyou's existence at home.

Sesshoumaru soon returned to the Imperial Palace and informed me that Inuyasha truly was sealed away, but also that in our absence the Western Lands had become overrun by cat demons. I barely heard him inform the courtesans in my presence and myself that he would take care of them, as was his duty as Inu no Taishō, before he was gone again.

The Palace had only just been completed and courtesans allowed to return. We had not even discussed rebuilding the Imperial Army and already my son was claiming a third title and responsibility. I worried for him, especially because if the worst were to happen and he was killed, it would be my responsibility to find another mate and breed another heir, and…I didn't think I had it in me. I still felt too raw.

I gathered as many remaining soldiers from the old armies that were loyal to the Kingdom and sent them along to aid Sesshoumaru. A messenger was sent back with thankss for my aid, and the information that Sesshoumaru had returned to the toad demons to call upon their promise of support, gaining from them some demons to act as messengers. He had also gained the support of the wolf, panther, and otter demon clans in return for future protection and some land grants.

I knew Sesshoumaru was successful when I received yellow poppies. Whether unconsciously or not, Sesshoumaru had taken after his father in his way of communicating, and I felt a bittersweet smile touch my lips, the flowers bringing back memories of happier times when Takeshi and I had been courting.

The cats were quickly driven from the land. The biggest problem my son had to deal with was actually from the panthers, who desired more than had been agreed upon for their alliance. They were swiftly dealt with, and their share of the promised land was divided between the wolves, otters, and toads.

My son returned triumphant, and with a toad demon in tow – but there was a hard glint in his eyes. It did not take long for him to confront me with what was on his mind, and I cursed the fates that he had somehow found out. Sesshoumaru wished to know about the existence of Tenseiga's companion sword. My surprise was evident, and so was my anger. _Who had told Sesshoumaru about Tessaiga?_

The answer came in the next moment when I felt a familiar pinch on my cheek. Smacking it, I glared coldly at the flea demon in my palm. Clearly not expecting my cold welcome, Myoga quickly fled, leaving Sesshoumaru and I alone.

I sighed, and knowing he would not take no for an answer, recited to him a riddle. The sword was in a 'grave that can see but could not be seen', hidden in the 'right black pearl'.

Sesshoumaru was quick to leave again in search of the sword, and the sight of his back made the last of my grievances towards Takeshi melt away. Sesshoumaru had turned into his father, and from the love I yet held for our son, I realized that I did not hate Takeshi. And I knew in that moment that if I wanted Sesshoumaru back, I would have to fulfill my mate's last hopes for our son, and try to guide him towards the path of compassion. A path that could only be opened by mastering Tenseiga.


	7. Daffodil :: Chivalrous love

Chapter Seven – Daffodil (chivalrous love)

* * *

Though Takeshi had not loved Izayoi, his plan having been to use her to incite Ryukotsusei's wrath, he had grown to care for her – if only out of guilt for his actions.

It wasn't long before I began to see this same trait in Sesshoumaru - the same desire to right his wrongs - and I wondered if he wasn't moving forward on a path towards abandoning his quest for power.

The first human Sesshoumaru brought to me was a girl-child named Rin. One that had nursed him after his severe injuries inflicted by Inuyasha, and who had later been killed by Low Pack wolf demons. Though he had not realized it at the time, Sesshoumaru felt guilt for his negligence in returning her care, the feeling compounded by the fact that it was our old allies who had killed her. That was the first time he used the Sword of Life, protecting her soul from death's embrace.

When he brought her to me he was yet seeking power, working to widen his Meido. But when she was taken into the underworld, he abandoned his quest without thought and without hesitation. Sesshoumaru followed her into the darkness and brought her back for a second time.

It was only a few years later that he formally claimed her as his daughter in a special ceremony to lengthen her life span and add her to our small family. It felt good to have a child in the palace again, her echoing laughter in the halls and gardens a welcome change to the venomous muttering of courtesans.

The second human he brought to me was a boy-child, the member of a clan of demon hunters. Though I did see him when I first met Rin, I was not formally introduced to the boy named Kohaku until after the battle against Naraku. Like Rin, Sesshoumaru held feelings of remorse towards the boy. For his actions in kidnapping Rin, Sesshoumaru had intended to kill him, unaware that he was being controlled by _the hanyou_ Naraku.

Of course, Sesshoumaru didn't end up killing the boy, as he had proven himself to be a worthy ally and companion to Rin. Sesshoumaru realized that had he killed Kohaku, he would have destroyed a soul deserving of life.

Some years later, when Rin was of age, Kohaku approached Sesshoumaru about courting her, and I hid chuckles behind my sleeves at how much my son reminded me of my father in that moment. He seemed ready to give them permission when Rin asked that he release her soul, so that she might age with Kohaku, and someday join him in the afterlife.

When Rin made this request he halted all preparations for their union, and made the humans wait two years before he finally agreed to release Rin's life. Everyone could see that it pained him to do so – knowing that in doing so he was resigning her to a life of some decades instead of some centuries – but it was what she wanted, and to this day her descendants had a place of honour and protection in our House.

The third human he brought before me was a woman.

Though Sesshoumaru had repeatedly tried to kill her, she had only ever attempted to befriend him and ally their packs. I was surprised to learn that she was a member of Inuyasha's pack. Of course, Inuyasha had no place in the Imperial Palace; he was the product of Takeshi's betrayal, and this meant that if I were to allow him a place in the Moon Kingdom, it would only be as a Low Pack member, along with anyone else under his protection.

For a time, I had not understood Sesshoumaru's enchantment with the girl - not only a Low Pack member but a human - and then I sensed her power, carefully restrained behind a tight control. Sesshoumaru introduced her as one Higurashi Kagome, Priestess of the Shikon no Tama and channel of extremely powerful purification powers. While this would have perturbed and frightened most demons, it only served to attract my son like a moth to a flame.

It was impossible to not recognize the similarities between my courting at the hands of Takeshi, a Low Pack member who had proven himself through his sheer power, and Sesshoumaru with his Kagome. It was startling, and only compounded by the fact that a daffodil was carefully tucked behind her hair upon our introduction – chivalrous love. I would expect such from my pup.

I wondered if Sesshoumaru still sought power like his father once had in his mating to me, or if he had truly fallen in love with the girl, as I had once believed Takeshi loved me.

I wasn't sure how I felt about Kagome, though I would later come to admit that the fault was my own, and not the girl's. The last human woman that had meant anything to someone I loved had been the catalyst to the destruction of the happy life I had once led when Takeshi betrayed our family and spawned a bastard hanyou. I had thought that I had overcome my pain and hurt in the century that had passed, but the sight of my last remaining son beside the human woman rubbed at wounds I had thought long healed. It wasn't until I was able to separate my burning remorse towards Izayoi from Kagome that I was able to finally see her for who she really was.

It helped that I recognized a lot of myself in her. Though I had lost my kindness over the years to the bitter hardness of betrayal, I liked to think that like Kagome, I had at one time possessed a kind and gentle heart. We both were fiercely loyal, and had power and status in demon circles – and we both loved Sesshoumaru very much.

I'm not sure how they had come to love each other, but the depth of their love was clear each time their eyes met. Over the years Sesshoumaru had only spoke of how annoying Inuyasha and his little rat pack were, but the battle with Naraku had been over for a long time, and for three years afterward Sesshoumaru had been acting more differently than usual. Rin had helped him open up once more, encouraging him to show love to his pack, but he had also been melancholy in a way I hadn't seen since the death of his siblings. Almost as though something were missing.

Seeing them together as Sesshoumaru presented her to the court, I realized what had been missing, and though I had misgivings in the beginning, how could I not be happy and grateful to the woman who had returned the light to my son's eyes?

It took some time, but I have come to accept Kagome as my daughter-in-law, as the humans like to call each other nowadays. Over the centuries that I have known her she has proven herself to be a worthy Western Lady in her defence of our lands from threats, and a worthy Imperial Princess of the House of the Moon in her loyalty to my son and her care to their pups, who were quite numerous in number. Something that I welcomed with a proud heart and open arms.

The halls of the Imperial Palace had been long ensconced in silence, haunted by the ghosts of the past that could not be appeased, and I had thought that they would never disperse; but eventually, I learned what Takeshi had only learned too late - revenge and power had nearly destroyed everything, but even in the wake of such destruction, the seeds of love and compassion had managed to restore what I had once thought lost forever. The first time that I heard the sound of clacking sandals on stone and laughter - my grandchildren's laughter - it was as though peace had not only finally returned to the floating palace, but also to my own broken heart.

The Imperial Kingdom of the Moon and the Western Lands had been returned to their former glory, and it would not have been possible without the love that shone clearly through Higurashi Kagome, the Lady of the West.


	8. Pink Carnation :: A Mother's love

Chapter Eight – Pink Carnation (a mother's love)

* * *

"Oh," Kagome choked out softly, covering her mouth with a small shaking fist to hold in her tears.

When the girl of the future had asked her mother-in-law to write down her life experiences so that her children and their children would be able to learn about where they had come from, she had not been expecting this. She put down the meticulously bound book on the coffee table in front of her and sniffed, hoping no one would hear her.

Satori had gone through much in life, and against all odds had not only survived, but had been able to find herself again and do what her mate had known was best for Sesshoumaru. She had been able to look past her pain and think of someone else. Kagome knew many women who would not have been able to do the same; who would have held onto their bitterness like a barbed crutch and said that it was better that way.

Kagome had no doubt now that Satori's grandpups had helped her greatly in finally letting go of her resentment. There was nothing that could help a person see the value of life and love like children, and Satori was greatly adored by Kagome and Sesshoumaru's numerous pups.

At that moment Sesshoumaru entered the room, immediately zeroing in on her tears.

"Kagome, what is wrong?" he asked, hurrying to her side. He knelt beside her, not missing the way she placed a protective hand on the book in front of her. What was it?

"Nothing," she promised, smiling and leaning forward to kiss him. He returned her affection, understanding that whatever had upset her, it was not anything he had done. Though he wondered if that would still be the case when she learned about the vase in the front entrance…

"I was just reading Mother's autobiography," she explained when she pulled back, sighing softly as she curled in close to his body, tucking her head under his chin.

"Mother wrote an autobiography?" he asked, surprised. "Who convinced her to do that?"

"I did," Kagome confessed, giggling at his expression. "Come on, you act like Mother would never talk about her past."

"There are few good things to remember."

"That's not true," she whispered, cupping his cheek and turning his face to look at her. "I know a lot of the memories are seeped in pain…but even in that, there is joy. You can remember your happiness too."

He was silent, unable to comment. She was right of course, but it somehow felt wrong…as if he was dishonouring the significance of those memories by focusing on the good.

"Sesshoumaru," she called to him, catching his attention again. "Do you regret us?"

"Never," he said strongly.

Kagome smiled, leaning up to press a quick kiss to his lips and then her forehead to his. "Then as much as the past hurts, you wouldn't be the demon you are without it, and maybe I wouldn't have been able to fall in love with you."

Sesshoumaru snorted, eyes burning into hers. "If I wanted you, I would have had you," he told her, voice filled with dark promise.

Kagome shuddered, breath catching. "M-maybe so, but my point is…"

"Your point?" he prompted, smirking.

"My point is, if you do not regret us, then you need to accept that as bad as some of your past was, it led you to where you are today," she continued, hoping she wouldn't offend him. "And if you can accept that, then you can accept that it is okay to remember those good things in your past, like your brothers and sisters, your mother…and your father."

Sesshoumaru exhaled hard, pulling back slightly but not out of his mate's embrace. He could see her point, but it was still hard. He knew that someday, though, he'd be able to look back and recall the happier memories without guilt, and he'd do it with Kagome's help.

He also knew that even if he had been a different demon, he could have still had Kagome. What truly worried him was that he may not have wanted her, and then he would have missed out on the life and beautiful pups they had created, and he wouldn't wish them away for anything in the world, so perhaps she was correct - perhaps he did have some part of his past to be grateful for.

"Do you think I make a good Lady of the West?" Kagome asked suddenly, causing Sesshoumaru to pause in surprise. He had not been expecting that question.

"What has caused you to question your position?" he countered, voice low and dark. Had someone suggested she was unworthy? Because such rabble would be dealt with immediately.

"Nothing," she assured him, laughing. Honestly, he could get aggressive so quickly, but it was always in defence of their family, something that made her smile pleasantly. "It's only…Mother thinks I have lived up to the position."

Sesshoumaru's eyebrows rose, but he was not surprised that his mother thought so – only that she would admit it. "She is right," he answered. "You are more than worthy of your title, Kagome."

His mate slowly wrapped her arms around his neck, levering herself up to press her breast to his chest, eyes growing heavy-lidded. "And I plan to continue being worthy of it," she promised throatily.

Watching from the gardens, Satori shook her head, amused as she continued to distract her grandpups from disrupting their parents. Really, they were worse than she and Takeshi had been, having had seven litters, resulting in fifteen pups over the nearly five hundred years they had been mated.

Each of their pups - hanyou or no - was a proud addition to the House of the Moon, she acknowledged, watching the younger pups chase each other around the garden. She was always happy when Kagome and Sesshoumaru could make it back to the floating palace. In today's modern era there wasn't much need for courtesans anymore, so the huge castle became a lonely place without the young ones there.

Of course, when two of her grandpups had brought their mates to the Palace and asked if they could move in, she had been happy to welcome them into the family home. She only hoped the rest of the family smartened up and chose to remain there. She had a feeling that once the last of the Higurashi clan passed that they would visit more often, but she knew her son and his mate would likely never settle down in the Imperial Palace indefinitely. Too much for them to do on earth.

And Satori didn't mind, really. The House of the Moon would always welcome its new Lord and Lady of the West home when they were ready.

The demoness glanced back to the palace and was amused to see the sliding doors had been shut. Fingering the pink carnation resting in her lap, Satori chuckled lightly.

She would give the bloom to her daughter later.


End file.
